Between May 1892 and June 1893, Cuno Amiet spent time in the Breton fishing town of Pont-Aven, which, following the residence of Paul Gauguin in 1886, had become an attractive location for young artists. Among Amiet’s friends at the time were French painter Paul Sérusier and Roderic O’Conor from Ireland. O’Conor introduced the young Swiss artist to the work of Van Gogh, Seurat’s Divisionism, and the use of pure colours. Our wonderful painting of the sleeping woman (Schlafende Bretonin) with a white hood comes from this early period of his practice. In terms of style and quality, the work represents one of the seminal paintings of avant-garde art at the turn of the 19th century. The Breton’s finely nuanced garment is made from lightweight but dark fabric and is highlighted through bold brush strokes and outlines, effectively illustrating Amiet’s analysis of Gauguin’s practice as well as of Cloisonnism. Furthermore, the bold and flat forms seen here are reminiscent of Japanese woodcut technique. This approach was popular in France at the time, especially among young artists who therein found inspiration for their compositions. The flat background of our painting is nuanced with green and yellow tones, imbuing the various colour planes with transparency and depth. Additionally, an early self-portrait of the artist can be found at the back of the canvas.

Paintings such as the Schlafende Bretonin prompted Erich Heckel to invite Cuno Amiet to become a member of the artist collective the “Brücke” in Dresden. Heckel contacted Amiet: “It is with admiration and enthusiasm that we have seen your work and take the liberty of asking you, if you would like to join our group the ‘Brücke’?” Consequently, Amiet joined the well-known collective, becoming one of a few Swiss artists who contributed to shaping the development of European painting. Amiet’s ground-breaking interpretation of painting, as well as the high degree of abstraction of the Schlafende Bretonin represented an unusual and brave pictorial composition at the time, which established the work as an unparalleled masterpiece of European painting.

拍品狀況報告

13

Cuno Amiet

Not unframed.
Recto:
Craquelures overall.
Traces of humidity visible in the upper left quadrant and to the lower right side.
Minor paint losses along the lower left margin.
Under UV-light no retouching visible. It is in its original condition.
Otherwise good condition.
Verso:
Coloration all over the surface is faded.
Otherwise good condition.
Werk nicht ausgerahmt.
Recto:
Krakelee.
Spuren von Feuchtigkeit sichtbar im oberen linken Quadranten und unten rechts.
Kleinste Farbausbrüche entlang des unteren Randes.
Unter UV-Licht keine Retuschen sichtbar. Bild ist im Originalzustand.
Ansonsten in gutem Zustand.
Verso:
Farbe auf der ganzen Oberfläche ist verblasst.
Andernfalls in gutem Zustand."In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."